Ἀριθμ. Πρωτ.718

+ Β Α Ρ Θ Ο Λ Ο Μ Α Ι Ο Σ

ΕΛΕῼ ΘΕΟΥ ΑΡΧΙΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΟΣ
ΚΩΝΣΤΑΝΤΙΝΟΥΠΟΛΕΩΣ, ΝΕΑΣ ΡΩΜΗΣ
ΚΑΙ ΟΙΚΟΥΜΕΝΙΚΟΣ ΠΑΤΡΙΑΡΧΗΣ

ΠΑΝΤΙ Τῼ ΠΛΗΡΩΜΑΤΙ ΤΗΣ ΕΚΚΛΗΣΙΑΣ
ΧΑΡΙΝ ΚΑΙ ΕΙΡΗΝΗΝ ΠΑΡΑ ΤΟΥ ΔΗΜΙΟΥΡΓΟΥ
ΚΑΙ ΣΥΝΤΗΡΗΤΟΥ ΠΑΣΗΣ ΤΗΣ ΚΤΙΣΕΩΣ ΚΥΡΙΟΥ
ΚΑΙ ΘΕΟΥ ΚΑΙ ΣΩΤΗΡΟΣ ΗΜΩΝ ΙΗΣΟΥ ΧΡΙΣΤΟΥ

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Ἀδελφοὶ καὶ τέκνα ἐν Κυρίῳ ἀγαπητά,

Ὁ Θεός, ὁ δημιουργήσας τὸ Σύμπαν καὶ διαμορφώσας τὴν γῆν εἰς τέλειον κατοικητήριον τοῦ ἀνθρώπου, ἔδωκεν εἰς αὐτὸν ἐντολὴν καὶ δυνατότητα νὰ αὐξάνηται καὶ νὰ πληθύνηται καὶ νὰ πληρώσῃ αὐτὴν καὶ νὰ κυριεύσῃ αὐτῆς καὶ πάντων τῶν ἐν αὐτῇ ζῴων καὶ φυτῶν (Γεν. α΄ 28).

Ὁ περιβάλλων ἡμᾶς κόσμος ἐχαρίσθη ἡμῖν ὑπὸ τοῦ Δημιουργοῦ ὡς στάδιον κοινωνικῆς δραστηριοποιήσεως, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἁγιασμοῦ, πρὸς κληρονομίαν τῆς ἀνακαινισθησομένης ἐν τῷ μέλλοντι αἰῶνι κτίσεως. Τὴν τοιαύτην θεολογικὴν θέσιν ἔχει καὶ βιοῖ ἀείποτε ἡ Μήτηρ Ἁγία τοῦ Χριστοῦ Μεγάλη Ἐκκλησία, διὸ καὶ ἡ ἡμετέρα Μετριότης ἐτέθη, ὡς γνωστόν, ἐπὶ κεφαλῆς τῆς ἀναληφθείσης παρὰ τοῦ καθ' ἡμᾶς πανιέρου Οἰκουμενικοῦ Θρόνου οἰκολογικῆς προσπαθείας διὰ τὴν προστασίαν τοῦ πολλὰ ταλαιπωρουμένου ὑφ  ἡμῶν ἐν ἐπιγνώσει καὶ ἀνεπιγνώστως πλανήτου μας.

 Ἡ  β ι ο π ο ι κ ι λ ό τ η ς, ἡ ὁποία εἶναι τὸ ἔργον τῆς πανσοφίας τοῦ Θεοῦ, δὲν ἐδόθη ἀσφαλῶς εἰς τὴν ἀνεξέλεγκτον ἐξουσίαν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου. Κ α τ α κ υ ρ ί ε υ σ ι ς  τῆς γῆς καὶ τῶν ἐν τῇ γῇ ὑπὸ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου σημαίνει ἔλλογον χρῆσιν καὶ ἀπόλαυσιν τῶν προσφερομένων ἀγαθῶν καὶ ὄχι καταστρεπτικὴν ἐκ πλεονεξίας ἀντλησιν καὶ κάρπωσιν ἢ καταστροφὴν τῶν πόρων αὐτῆς.

Ἐν τούτοις, ἰδίᾳ ἐπὶ τῶν ἡμερῶν μας, παρατηροῦμεν μίαν ὑπερβολικὴν ἐκμετάλλευσιν τῶν φυσικῶν πόρων, μὲ συνέπειαν τὴν καταστροφὴν τῆς περιβαλλοντικῆς ἰσορροπίας τῶν οἰκοσυστημάτων καὶ γενικώτερον τῶν περιβαλλοντικῶν συνθηκῶν, εἰς τρόπον ὥστε οἱ ὑπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ τεταγμένοι ὅροι διαβιώσεως τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς νὰ γίνωνται δυσμενέστεροι δι' αὐτόν. Ἐπὶ παραδείγματι, ὡς παρατηροῦμεν ἅπαντες, ἐπιστήμονες, ἐκκλησιαστικοὶ καὶ πολιτικοὶ ἄρχοντες καὶ ἐν γένει ἡ ἀνθρωπότης, αὐξάνεται ἡ θερμοκρασία τῆς ἀτμοσφαίρας, ἐκδηλοῦνται ὑπερβολικαὶ βροχοπτώσεις, μολύνονται ἐπίγεια καὶ θαλάσσια οἰκοσυστήματα, καί, γενικώτερον, διαταράσσεται, ἐνίοτε δὲ καὶ καταστρέφεται πλήρως, ἡ δυνατότης συνεχίσεως τῆς ζωῆς εἰς ὡρισμένας περιοχάς.

Βλέπουσα καὶ ἐμπειρικῶς ἀξιολογοῦσα τοὺς ἐκ τῆς τοιαύτης ἐξελίξεως τῶν περιβαλλοντικῶν συνθηκῶν κινδύνους διὰ τὴν ἀνθρωπότητα, ἡ Μήτηρ Ἐκκλησία καθιέρωσεν ἤδη ἀπὸ τῆς ἐποχῆς τοῦ προκατόχου ἡμῶν ἀοιδίμου Πατριάρχου Δημητρίου τὴν πρώτην Σεπτεμβρίου ἑκάστου ἔτους ὡς ἡμέραν προσευχῆς διὰ τὸ περιβάλλον.

Ἀλλ'  ὀφείλομεν νὰ παραδεχθῶμεν ὅτι τὰ αἴτια τῶν δυσαρέστων περιβαλλοντικῶν ἀλλαγῶν δὲν εἶναι θεοκίνητα ἀλλὰ ἀνθρωποκίνητα καί, ἑπομένως, ἡ παράκλησις καὶ ἡ προσευχητικὴ δέησις τῆς Ἐκκλησίας καὶ ἡμῶν πρὸς τὸν Θεόν, τὸν Κύριον τῶν κυρίων καὶ Κυβερνήτην τοῦ παντός, πρὸς βελτίωσιν τῶν περιβαλλοντικῶν συνθηκῶν, εἶναι οὐσιαστικῶς αἴτημα  μ ε τ α ν ο ί α ς  τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος διὰ τὸ  ἁ μ α ρ τ η μ ά  της νὰ καταστρέφῃ τὰ ἐν τῇ γῇ, ἀντὶ νὰ καρπῶται μετὰ λόγου καὶ προσοχῆς διὰ τὴν διατήρησιν τῆς ἀ ε ι φ ο ρ ί α ς  τοὺς πόρους αὐτῆς.

Προσευχόμενοι καὶ αἰτούμενοι παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ τὴν διατήρησιν τοῦ περιβάλλοντος τῆς γῆς καταλλήλου διὰ τὴν ἐν αὐτῇ ζωὴν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου, κατ' οὐσίαν παρακαλοῦμεν ὅπως ὁ Θεὸς ἀλλάξῃ τὸν λογισμὸν τῶν ἰσχυρῶν τῆς γῆς καὶ φωτίσῃ αὐτοὺς νὰ μὴ καταστρέφουν τὸ γήϊνον οἰκοσύστημα διὰ λόγους οἰκονομικοῦ ὀφέλους καὶ συμφέροντος παροδικοῦ. Τοῦτ'  αὐτὸ ὅμως ἰσχύει καὶ διὰ πάντα ἄνθρωπον ἐξ ἡμῶν, διότι καὶ ἕκαστος ἐξ ἡμῶν ἐν τῷ μέτρῳ τῶν μικρῶν δυνατοτήτων του ἐπιφέρει τὰς μικρὰς περιβαλλοντικὰς καταστροφάς, τὰς ὁποίας ἡ ἀφροσύνη του τοῦ ἐπιτρέπει.

Ἑπομένως, προσευχόμενοι ὑπὲρ τοῦ περιβάλλοντος, προσευχόμεθα ὑπὲρ τῆς μετανοίας ἑνὸς ἑκάστου ἐξ ἡμῶν διὰ τὴν μικρὰν ἢ μεγάλην συμβολήν μας εἰς τὴν βλάβην καὶ καταστροφὴν τοῦ περιβάλλοντος, τὴν ὁποίαν βιοῦμεν συνολικῶς ὡς ἄθροισμα μερικωτέρων ἐπιζημίων ἐπεμβάσεων διὰ τῶν κατὰ τόπους καὶ χρόνους μεγάλων καὶ καταστροφικῶν καιρίων φαινομένων.

Τὴν ἔκκλησιν, προσευχὴν καὶ προτροπὴν ταύτην ἀπευθύνοντες ἀπὸ τοῦ Ἱεροῦ Κέντρου τῆς Ὀρθοδοξίας πρὸς τὴν οἰκουμένην καὶ πρὸς συνόλην τὴν ἀνθρωπότητα, δεόμεθα ὅπως ὁ ἀγαθοδότης Κύριος, ὁ χαρισάμενος εἰς ἡμᾶς πάντας τοὺς ἐπὶ τοῦ πλανήτου γῆ οἰκοῦντας τὸν γήϊνον παράδεισον, λαλήσῃ ἀγαθὰ εἰς τὰς καρδίας ὅλων τῶν ἀνθρώπων, διὰ νὰ σεβώμεθα τὴν περιβαλλοντικὴν ἰσορροπίαν, τὴν ὁποίαν Οὗτος ἐν τῇ πανσοφίᾳ Του καὶ τῇ ἀγαθότητί Του μᾶς παρέδωκεν, ὥστε καὶ ἡμεῖς καὶ αἱ ἐπερχόμεναι γενεαὶ νὰ ἀπολαμβάνωμεν τὰς δωρεὰς τοῦ Θεοῦ μετ' εὐχαριστίας καὶ δοξολογίας.

Αὐτῆς τῆς Σοφίας, τῆς Εἰρήνης καὶ τῆς Δυνάμεως τοῦ Θεοῦ, τῆς δημιουργησάσης καὶ συντηρούσης καὶ κατευθυνούσης τὴν ἀποκαραδοκοῦσαν τὴν σωτηρίαν αὐτῆς κτίσιν πρὸς τὰ ἔσχατα, δεόμεθα ὅπως διαφυλάττῃ τὸ περιβάλλον ἀειφόρον καὶ προσφέρον συνεχῶς εἰς τὴν εὐημερίαν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου καὶ ὁδηγῇ καρποφόρως τὰ ἀγαθὰ ἔργα τῶν χειρῶν τῶν ἐργαζομένων πρὸς τοῦτο συνανθρώπων, καὶ ἐπικαλούμεθα τὴν Χάριν καὶ τὸ ἄπειρον Ἔλεος Αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ πάντας τοὺς ἀνθρώπους, μάλιστα τοὺς σεβομένους τὴν δημιουργίαν καὶ φυλάσσοντας αὐτήν.

,βιβ΄ Σεπτεμβρίου α΄

+ Ὁ Κωνσταντινουπόλεως Βαρθολομαῖος
διάπυρος πρὸς Θεὸν εὐχέτης πάντων ὑμῶν

Encyclical of His All-Holiness for the Church New Year

Prot. No. 718 

+ BARTHOLOMEW
By the Mercy of God
Archbishop of Constantinople-New Rome And Ecumenical Patriarch

To the Fullness of the Church
Grace and Peace from the Creator and Sustainer of All Creation
Our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ

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Beloved brothers and children in the Lord,

         Our God, who created the universe and formed the earth as a perfect dwelling place for humanity, granted us the commandment and possibility to increase, multiply and fulfill creation, with dominion over all animals and plants.

         The world that surrounds us was thus offered to us as a gift by our Creator as an arena of social activity but also of spiritual sanctification in order that we might inherit the creation to be renewed in the future age. Such has always been the theological position of the Holy Great Church of Christ, which is the reason why we have pioneered an ecological effort on behalf of the sacred Ecumenical Throne for the protection of our planet, which has long suffered from us both knowingly and unknowingly.

         Of course, biodiversity is the work of divine wisdom and was not granted to humanity for its unruly control. By the same token, dominion over the earth and its environs implies rational use and enjoyment of its benefits, and not destructive acquisition of its resources out of a sense of greed. Nevertheless, especially in our times, we observe an excessive abuse of natural resources, resulting in the destruction of the environmental balance of the planet’s ecosystems and generally of ecological conditions, so that the divinely-ordained regulations of human existence on earth are increasingly transgressed. For instance, all of us – scientists, as well as religious and political leaders, indeed all people – are witnessing a rise in the atmosphere’s temperature, extreme weather conditions, the pollution of ecosystems both on land and in the sea, and an overall disturbance – sometimes to the point of utter destruction – of the potential for life in some regions of the world.

         Inasmuch as the Mother Church perceives and evaluates the ensuing dangers of such ecological conditions for humanity, already from the time of our blessed predecessor, Ecumenical Patriarch Dimitrios, established September 1st of each year as a day of prayer for the natural environment. Yet, we are obliged to admit that the causes of the aforementioned ecological changes are not inspired by God but initiated by humans. Thus, the invocation and supplication of the Church and us all to God as the Lord of lords and Ruler of all for the restoration of creation are essentially a petition of repentance for our sinfulness in destroying the world instead of working to preserve and sustain its ever-flourishing resources reasonably and carefully.

         When we pray to and entreat God for the preservation of the natural environment, we are ultimately imploring God to change with mindset of the powerful in the world, enlightening them not to destroy the planet’s ecosystem for reasons of financial profit and ephemeral interest. This in turn, however, also concerns each one of us inasmuch as we all generate small ecological damage in our individual capacity and ignorance. Therefore, in praying for the natural environment, we are praying for personal repentance for our contribution – smaller or greater – to the disfigurement and destruction of creation, which we collectively experience regionally and occasionally through the immense phenomena of our time.

         In addressing this appeal, petition and exhortation from the sacred Center of Orthodoxy to all people throughout the world, we pray that our gracious Lord, who granted this earthly paradise to all people dwelling on our planet, will speak to the hearts of everyone so that we may respect the ecological balance that He offered in His wisdom and goodness, so that both we and future generations will enjoy His gifts with thanksgiving and glorification.

         May this divine wisdom, peace and power, which created and sustains and guides all creation in its hope for salvation in the kingdom, always maintain the beauty of the world and the welfare of humanity, leading all people of good will to produce fruitful works toward this purpose. And we invoke His grace and mercy on all of you, particularly those who respect and protect creation. Amen.

September 1, 2012

+ Bartholomew of Constantinople
Your fervent supplicant for all

THE ECUMENICAL PATRIARCHATE

COMMUNIQUÉ

The Ecumenical Patriarchate expresses profound concern about the resurgence of violence currently spreading throughout the world. From America to Africa and throughout Europe and Asia, continents are confronted with the phenomenon of intolerance that not only undermines world stability and peace, but also constitutes a denial of human dignity. Racial murders, genocide, ethnic cleansing, anti-semitism, destruction of places of worship etc, constitute barbaric acts that must be denounced publicly, particularly when they are masked with the veil of religion in an effort to justify them.

The Ecumenical Patriarchate is particularly concerned about the situations in the Middle East, as well as in Nigeria and Sudan. Clashes between Christians and Muslims in these parts of the world must be overcome by promoting love for one's neighbor as the peaceful expression of the bond uniting every human being.  Furthermore, the Ecumenical Patriarchate is deeply concerned about the future of the people of Syria, as well as for the future of Christianity in that country.  Therefore, we are calling on all parties involved in this conflict to lay down their weapons, especially given the urgency of the humanitarian situation.

The solution to such conflicts requires dialogue above all else.  Dialogue constitutes more than merely a better understanding or toleration of our differences, indeed, dialogue is the essence of reconciliation and transformation. Therefore, religious leaders should be working together, through dialogue, to affirm God's peace in the world.  We, as religious leaders, have a moral obligation to resist war and promote peace as a vital and fundamental necessity for all humanity. Religion cannot and should never be a basis for war and conflict, nor should it be used as an instrument of fundamentalism and fanaticism for purely political motives and ends. With great resolve, we have repeatedly emphasized that any crime in the name of religion is a crime against religion. In this respect, dialogue is the only hope for attaining peace.

Finally, His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and the Ecumenical Patriarchate express their solidarity with and compassion to all communities affected by violence, addressing a fervent appeal to all autocephalous Orthodox Churches, all Christian Churches and religious communities, as well as to international organizations and states, as well as every person of good will, to contribute to the triumph of peace over war and hatred.

At the Ecumenical Patriarchate, August 14, 2012

 The Chief Secretariat of the Holy and Sacred Synod


OIKOYMENIKOΝ ΠΑΤΡΙΑΡΧΕΙΟΝ

ΑΝΑΚΟΙΝΩΘΕΝ

Τό Οἰκουμενικόν Πατριαρχεῖον ἐκφράζει τήν ἔντονον αὐτοῦ ἀνησυχίαν διά τήν ἐπιδείνωσιν τῆς ἐξαπλουμένης ἀνά τόν κόσμον σήμερον βίας. Ἀπό τήν Ἀμερικήν ἕως τήν Ἀφρικήν, διά μέσου τῆς Εὐρώπης καί τῆς Ἀσίας, αἱ ἤπειροι εὑρίσκονται ἀντιμέτωποι μέ φαινόμενα μισαλλοδοξίας, τά ὁποῖα ὄχι μόνον ἀποδυναμώνουν τήν παγκόσμιον εἰρήνην, ἀλλά καί ἀποτελοῦν ἰσαρίθμους ἀρνήσεις τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης ἀξιοπρεπείας. Ρατσιστικοί φόνοι, γενοκτονίαι, ἐθνοκαθάρσεις, ἀντισημιτισμός, καταστροφαί χώρων λατρείας κ.λπ. ἀποτελοῦν πράξεις βαρβαρότητος, αἱ ὁποῖαι πρέπει νά καταγγελθοῦν ρητῶς καί ἀπεριφράστως, ἰδιαιτέρως ὅταν διαπράττωνται ὑπό τό πρόσχημα τῆς θρησκείας.

Τό Οἰκουμενικόν Πατριαρχεῖον ἀνησυχεῖ ἰδιαιτέρως μέ τήν κατάστασιν εἰς τήν Μέσην Ἀνατολήν, εἰς τήν Νιγηρίαν καί εἰς τό Σουδάν. Αἱ μεταξύ Χριστιανῶν καί Μουσουλμάνων συγκρούσεις εἰς τάς ἐν λόγῳ περιοχάς πρέπει νά ξεπερασθοῦν μέ τήν ἐνίσχυσιν τῆς ἀγάπης πρός τόν πλησίον, ὡς ἐκφράσεως τοῦ εἰρηνικοῦ δεσμοῦ μεταξύ τῶν ἀνθρώπων. Τό Οἰκουμενικόν Πατριαρχεῖον ἀνησυχεῖ ἐπίσης πολύ διά τό μέλλον τοῦ λαοῦ τῆς Συρίας καί τό μέλλον τοῦ Χριστιανισμοῦ εἰς τήν χώραν αὐτήν, ἀπευθύνει δέ ἔκκλησιν πρός ὅλους τούς πρωταγωνιστάς τῆς συγκρούσεως νά σιγήσουν τά ὅπλα λόγῳ τοῦ ἐπείγοντος χαρακτῆρος τῆς καταστάσεως ἐξ ἐπόψεως ἀνθρωπιστικῆς.

Ἡ λύσις ὅλων αὐτῶν τῶν συγκρούσεων περνᾶ πρωτίστως ἀπό τόν διάλογον. Διότι, ἐκτός ἀπό τήν καλλιτέραν κατανόησιν τῶν διαφορῶν μας, ὁ διάλογος ἀποτελεῖ παράγοντα ἀλλαγῆς καί καταλλαγῆς. Ὡς ἐκ τούτου, οἱ θρησκευτικοί ἡγέται τοῦ κόσμου ἔχουν τήν ἠθικήν ὑποχρέωσιν νά ἀντισταθοῦν εἰς τόν πόλεμον καί νά προαγάγουν τήν εἰρήνην ὡς οὐσιαστικήν ἀναγκαιότητα. Οἱ θρησκευτικοί ἡγέται ὀφείλουν, εἰς τόν μεταξύ των διάλογον, νά τονίσουν μετ’ ἐμφάσεως τήν εἰρήνην τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐντός ἑνός κόσμου ἀναταραχῆς. Ἡ θρησκεία δέν δύναται καί δέν πρέπει νά χρησιμεύσῃ ὡς ἔρεισμα τοῦ πολέμου καί τῆς συγκρούσεως, μέ τήν χρῆσιν ὡς μοχλοῦ τοῦ φονταμενταλισμοῦ καί τοῦ φανατισμοῦ δι’ ἀμιγῶς πολιτικούς σκοπούς. Πράγματι, ἐπαναλαμβάνομεν ἀόκνως ὅτι τό ἔγκλημα, τό ὁποῖον διαπράττεται ἐν ὀνόματι τῆς θρησκείας, ἀποτελεῖ ἔγκλημα κατά τῆς θρησκείας. Ὁ διάλογος ἀποτελεῖ τό μοναδικόν σημεῖον ἐλπίδος, τό ὁποῖον δύναται νά μᾶς ὁδηγήσῃ εἰς τήν ἀνέρευσιν τῆς εἰρήνης.

Οὕτως, ἡ Α. Θ. Παναγιότης ὁ Οἰκουμενικός Πατριάρχης Βαρθολομαῖος καί τό Οἰκουμενικόν Πατριαρχεῖον ἐκφράζουν τήν ἀλληλεγγύην καί τήν συμπάθειάν των πρός ὅλας τάς κοινότητας, αἱ ὁποῖαι πλήττονται ἀπό τάς βιαιότητας αὐτάς. Ἀπευθύνουν εἰδικώτερον θερμήν ἔκκλησιν πρός ὅλας τάς Ὀρθοδόξους αὐτοκεφάλους Ἐκκλησίας, πρός ὅλας τάς Χριστιανικάς Ἐκκλησίας καί Κοινότητας, ὡς καί πρός τούς Διεθνεῖς Ὀργανισμούς, τά Κράτη καί κάθε ἄνθρωπον καλῆς θελήσεως, νά συμβάλουν εἰς τήν ἐπικράτησιν τῆς εἰρήνης ἐπί τοῦ πολέμου καί τοῦ μίσους.

Φανάριον, 14 Αὐγούστου 2012

Ἐκ τῆς Ἀρχιγραμματείας τῆς Ἁγίας καί Ἱερᾶς Συνόδου